Dieing-out machine



June 10, 1947.

1*.1-1. SEELY ET AL. 2,421,809

DIEING-OUT MACHINE Filed April 10, 1945 s sheets-sheet 1 52 5,2 27 f "eo ,27' 30 27 16 89 J6 .ez

Fly 1 Invenfom Thomas HSeeQ E'ank E Stratton T. H. sEELY ET AL 2,421,809

June 10, 1947.

- DIEING-OUT MACHINE Filed April 10, 1945 s Sheets-Shet 2 V Inventor;

29 8 J B ir-Aztorne Patented June 10, 1947 DIEING-OUT MACHINE Thomas H. Seely, Melrose, and Frank E. Stratton, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe ,Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 10, 1945, Serial N0. 587,456

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for operating upon sheet material, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a clicking machineoperable, with the use of freely movable dies, for cutting blanks, such as shoe parts, from leather or other sheet material.

Clicking machines, as heretofore constructed, commonly comprise a cutting block for supporting sheet material to be operated upon, and an arm, mounted upon an axis at one side of the block for movement over the block into operative position relatively to a die positioned upon the material, and movable heightwise of the block in producing a pressure-applying operation upon the die to produce a blank.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved clicking machine, which will be effective readily to produce blanks and which at the same time will be economical in its operation with regard to the amount of power consumed, and. in which the shocks, produced during the operation of forcing the die through the material, will be reduced to a minimum.

To this end and as illustrated, we have provided in a machine of the type referred to dieactuating mechanism, including means for engaging the upper edges of the die progressively to force the die through the material, during the time that the arm of the machine is at or near its lowermost position relatively to the cutting block. As shown, the die-actuating mechanism comprises a plate loosely carried by the arm and arranged to be engaged by a pressure roll, which is rotatable about the vertical axis of the plate and arranged progressively to press against the plate along different portions of its surface to force successive portions of the plate,

and consequently successive portions of the die, toward the block to produce a blank from the material supported upon the block.

This construction is advantageous in that, when the arm is moved downwardly in a cutting operation, the initial effect of the striking mechanism upon the die is to force a small portion only of the cutting edge of the die through the material, after which upon rotation of the pressure roll, the cutting of the blank is accomplished by progressively forcing small portions of the cutting edge through the material, until the complete blank is formed. Thus, only a small amount of power is required to produce the cut, and the initial shock of the striking mechanism against the die is considerably reduced. This contributes to smooth operation and a minimum of vibration in the operating parts, as well as low consumption oipower.

"These and other features of the invention are disclosed in the following specification and accompanying drawings, and are pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a clicking machine embodying the die-striking mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a View in Vertical cross section of a portion of the arm of the machine and the diestriking mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of the die-striking mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 1, the invention is embodied in a clicking machine, comprising a frame It supporting a cutting block I2, a vertically extending post [4, mounted at one side of the cutting block, and carrying an arm [6 arranged for movement laterally over the block about the axis of the post, the post being arranged to be reciprocated by a one-revolution clutch (not shown) under control of a starting handle l8, thereby to cause the arm to move toward and away from the cutting block. The arm carries die-actuating mechanism, generally indicated by the reference character 20, and operable, upon descent of the arm, to force a cutting die 22 through sheet material 24 supported upon the block.

The construction and operation of the clicking machine, per se, is Well known in the art, and for a disclosure thereof reference may be had to United States Letters Patent No. 921,503, granted May 11, 1909, upon application filed in the name of Arthur Bates.

The die-actuating mechanism, best shown in Fig. 2, comprises a striking plate 25, loosely mounted on a bracket 21 at the end of the arm 16. The lower surface of the plate is adapted to engage the upper edges of the die 22 and the upper face of the plate is arranged to be engaged by a pressure roll 28 and a backing roll 30, which are rotated about avertical axis by a friction roll 32 mounted upon the lower end of a rotary shaft 34 carried by the arm. This arrangement, as hereinafter described, is such as progressively to force the die through the material while the arm [6 is at or near its lowermost position relatively to the cutting block l2.

It is to be noted that the arm l6 extends outwardly and upwardly from the spindle 14, in order to provide at its end sufiicient space to support the die actuating mechanism above the cutting block. At the outer end of the arm there is a hollow sleeve 36, through which the drive shaft 34 extends in a vertical direction in alinement with the axis of the plate 26, the shaft 3 being supported by thrust bearings 38 and ll] and being rotated by means of a pulley 42 secured to the upper end of the shaft and connected by a belt 44 to a motor 46 carried by the arm.

The friction roll 32 is frusto-conical in shape, and is supported upon the lower end of the driving shaft by a nut 8. The pressure roll 28 and the backing roll 30 are supported upon a spider 59 (Fig. 2) carrying two beveled rolls 52 mounted upon pivots 54 on the spider. The rolls have beveled faces which rest upon the beveled surface 56 of a ring 58 surrounding the shaft and supported above the friction roll 32 by means of springs to surrounding pins 62 mounted in a recess 64 in the upper portion of the friction roll 32. The location of the spider 50 heightwise of the drive shaft 34 is determined by a stop plate fifislidably mounted upon the sleeve 36. The plate has a flat under surface 68 arranged to engage the rolls 52. Set screws '10 carried by the arm are arranged to engage a flange 12 on the stop plate 86, and limit upward movement of the stop plate and consequently of the rolls 52 under the pressure of the spring 6!].

The pressure roll 28 is conical in shape, the angle of the cone being approximately 60. The roll is mounted so that its axis extends at about 30 to the horizontal, with the point of the cone in a downward direction. The mounting consists of a spindle is carried by the spider 50 and having two sets of ball bearings 76 and 18 for facilitating free rotation of the roll about the spindle. The roll is arranged frictionally to engage the friction roll 32 and to be driven by it about the axis of the spindle.

The backing roll is similar in construction and comprises a spindle 88 carried by the spider 50 and having two sets of ball bearings 82 and 84. It is to be noted, however, that the backing roll is mounted so that the lowermost element of its surface lies in a plane which is slightly above (about a") that of the pressure roll.

The means for supporting the striking plate 28. comprises a ring 86 secured by screws 87 (Fig. 3) to a collar 83 having lugs 89 which are bolted to the bracket 2? on the arm it. The plate is loosely mounted on the ring by means of studs es secured to the plate and extending through enlarged openings in the ring. Downward movement of the plate 26 relatively to the ring 86 is limited by cotter pins93 extending through the upper ends of the studs and arranged to engage washers 9i surrounding the studs and resting upon the upper face of the ring. There are provided springs 92 surrounding the bolts and normally operative to force the plate away from the ring, but yieldable so that the plate can be tilted about its axis in any direction. The upper surface of the plate has an annular bead 94 projecting upwardly and arranged to be engaged by the pressure and backing rolls. Thus, as the spider is rotated by the action of the friction roll 32 bearing upon the rolls 28 and 30, the last two mentioned rolls are rotated upon their axes, and the pressure roll 28 will press down upon the bead and advance along it, causing successive portions of the plate to be forced downwardly, the amount of the tilting of the plate being limited by the engagement of the backing roll with the bead $4 at the other side of the plate.

In order that the striking plate 26 can be readily located in operative position over a die, there is provided a spotlight comprising an electric lamp 95,, mounted upon the upper portion of the arm and alined with the axis of the drive shaft 3c. The light from the lamp is directed downwardly through the shaft, through an opening 98 in the nut 58, and through a central opening we in the bearing plate 26, thus to throw a beam of light downwardly along the axis of the spindle on to the cutting block or on to the Work. When the arm is moved over the block, the spot of light upon the work upon the cutting block will indicate the position of the axis of the plate, so that the arm and die-actuating mechanism can be located readily in alinement with the central portion of a die to be operated upon.

In order to protect the operator from the rotating parts, there is provided a shield H32, preferably of transparent material, supported upon the collar 88 and surrounding the spider and the pressure and backing rolls.

In the operation of the machine, the die 22 is located upon the work 24 in position to make a cut. The arm 56 is then swung over the cutting block 12, until the spot of light from lamp 96 is located approximately in the central portion of the die, and the starting handle 58 is tripped. The arm is thereupon descends carrying with it the die-actuating mechanism. Near the end of the stroke, the striking plate is will engage the upper surface of the die and through operation of the pressure roll 28 will force the die through the material along a small portion of the edge of the die, and, as the rolls rotate about the axis of the drive shaft, the pressure roll will move along the bead 94 of the bearing plate to cause the plate progressively to press successive portions of the edge of die through the material to form a blank. During this operation, the backing roll 30 engages the opposite side of the bead preventing the plate from tilting beyond a predetermined amount.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A dieing-out machine comprising a cutting bed, an arm supported above the bed for movement angulrarly across the bed and for movements toward and away from the bed, a vertical shaft carried by the arm, a conical friction roll mounted at the lower end of the shaft, a spider surrounding the shaft and supported by the friction roll, a conical pressure roll carried by the spider and engaging the friction roll, a striking plate loosely carried by the arm and having an upstanding annular bead upon its upper surface 2. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm mounted for movements across the block and heightwise thereof, a rotary shaft carried by the arm, a friction roll mounted for rotation with the shaft and for movements heightwise of the shaft, a stop plate carried by the arm, a plurality. of beveled disks extending between the friction roll and the shaft for limiting movement of the friction roll along the shaft, means for progressively applying pressure to a die positioned upon the cutting block comprising a pressure roll mounted for bodily movement about the axis of the shaft and in engagement with the friction roll, and a backing. roll mounted for movement bodily about the axis of the shaft and in engagement with the friction roll, the lowermost portion of the backing roll being positioned above the lowermost portion of the pressure roll thereby to limit tilting of [the die during a pressure-applying operation.

3. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm movable laterally over the block and heightwise thereof, a rotary shaft carried by the arm and extending in a vertical direction, a plurality of rolls mounted for rotation about the axis of the shaft, and means associated with the shaft for driving the rolls.

4. A clicking machine comprising a frame, a cutting block carried by the frame, a post mounted at one side of the frame, means for reciprocating the post heightwise of the block, an arm carried by the post and mounted for movement about the axis of the post land with the post heightwise of the block, a bracket carried at the free end of the arm, a die striking plate resiliently supported upon the bracket, a rotatable shaft carried by the arm and extending axially of the plate, a spider rotatably mounted about the axis of the plate and supported by the shaft, a pressure roll carried by the spider and arranged to bear against the upper surface of the striking plate, and a friction roll carried by the shaft in operative engagement with the pressure roll to rotate the pressure roll about the axis of the plate.

5. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm, means for mounting the presser arm for movements across the surface of the cutting block and heightwise thereof, a bracket carried by the free end of the arm, a die striking plate resiliently mounted upon the bracket, 2. pressure roll engaging the upper sur face of the striking plate, a rotary shaft carried by the 'arm and extending with its axis in alinement with the striking plate, and a friction roll carried by the shaft in operative engagement with the pressure roll for rotating the pressure roll about the axis of the plate.

6. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a, presser arm, means for mounting the presser arm for movements across the surface of the cutting block and heightwise thereof, a bracket carried by the arm, a striking plate resiliently mounted upon the bracket, a vertical shaft carried by the arm, a spider carried by the shaft, ya, pressure roll and a backing roll rotatably mounted upon the spider and arranged to engage the upper surface of the striking plate, and a friction roll carried by the shaft and rotatable therewith for rotating the pressure roll and the backing roll about the axis of the plate.

7. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm mounted for movement across the block, a cutting die located upon work positioned upon the block, a striking plate loosely carried [by the arm, means for progressively forcing the die through the work comprising a pressure roll in engagement with the striking plate, means for continuously rotating the roll about the axis of the plate, and means for reciprocating the arm toward and away from the die.

8. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm, means for mounting the presser arm for movements across the surface of the cutting block and heightwise thereof, a rotary shaft carried by the arm and extending normally to the surface of the block, a friction roll slidably mounted upon the shaft and rotatable therewith, a stop on the shaft for limiting downward movement of the friction roll, a stop plate carried bythe arm, a ring surrounding the shaft above the friction roll, a spider mounted for rotation about the axis of theshaft, a plu-, rality of disks carried by the spider and engaging the stop plate and the ring, springs for forcing the ring toward the stop plate, a plurality of conical rolls operatively engaging the friction rolls, and means for continuously rotating the shaft.

9. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a striking plate supported above the block and adapted to engage a cutting die located upon work positioned upon the block, the plate having an upstanding annular bead on its upper surface, a pressure roll in engagement with the bead, and means for rotating the roll about the axis of the plate thereby to apply pressure to the plate progressively along. the bead in forcing the die through the material.

10. A clicking machine comprising, a cutting block, a presser arm, means for mountingthe presser arm for movements across the surface of the cutting block and heightwise thereof, a die striking plate carried by the arm, means mountin the striking plate for tilting movement about its axis, a rotary shaft carried by the arm and extending in alinement with the axis of the striking plate, a spider carried by the shaft and mounted for rotation about the axi of the shaft, conical rolls rotatably mounted upon the spider, a friction roll rotatable with the shaft and arranged operatively to engage the conical rolls to rotate them about the axis of the shaft, and a bead upon the upper surface of the striking plate in position to be engaged by the conical rolls.

11. A clicking machine comprising a cutting bed, a post mounted at one side of the bed for reciprocation heightwise of the bed and for rotation about its axis, an arm carried by the post and movable about the axis thereof across the cutting bed, a vertical shaft carried by the arm, a conical friction roll secured to the lower end of the shaft, a striking plate loosely carried by the arm and positioned below the friction roll, the plate having upon its upper surface an upstanding annular bead, a conical pressure roll in engagement with the bead and the friction roll, means mounting the pressure roll for movement along the bead about the axis of the shaft, and means for continuously rotating the shaft.

12. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm movable laterally over the block and heightwise thereof, a rotary shaft carried by the arm an extending normally to the cutting block, a plurality of pressure-applying rolls mounted for rotation about the axis of the shaft, means associated with the shaft for driving the rolls, a striking plate resiliently carried by the arm and in engagement with the pressureapplying roll, and means for continuously rotating the shaft.

13. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm movable laterally over the block and heightwise thereof, a rotary shaft carried by the arm and. extending in a vertical direction, a plurality of rolls mounted for rotation about the axis of the shaft, means associated with the shaft for driving the rolls, a bracket carried by the arm, a striking plate resiliently mounted upon the bracket with the axis of the plate in alinement withthe axis of the shaft, and an annular projection upon the upper surface of the striking plate in engagement with the rolls,

14. In a clicking machine, a cutting block, a vertically reciprocating post mounted at one side aeaneoo of the b-leck, an arm mounted upon the post for movement across the block about the axis of the post, a'sleeve carried by the arm, avertical shaft mounted 'for rotation .in the sleeve, atfriction roll carried by the shaft, a spider supported by the shaft and mounted thereon for rotation about the axis of the shaft, a pressure roll carried by the spider, a striking 'platefloose'ly supported by the arm for universal tilting movement, and a backing roll carried by the spider likewise mounted for movement about the axis of the vertical shaft for limiting tilting movement of the plate.

15. A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm movable laterally over the block and heightwise thereof, a hollow rotary shaft carried by the arm and extending in a vertical :direction, a plurality of rolls mounted .for rotation about the axis of theshaft, means associated with the shaft for driving the rolls, a striking plate loosely carriedby the arm and operatively engaging the rolls, an opening in the central portion of the striking plate, andzan electric lamp carried by the arm and located in alinemen-t with the axis of the shaft and the opening in the striking plate for directing a beam of light toward the cutting block to facilitate location of 8 the 'presser arm relatively to the work to be uperated upon.

:16. .A clicking machine comprising a cutting block, a presser arm movable laterally over the block and heightwise thereof, a hollow rotary shaft carried by'the arm and extending normally 7 to the cutting block, a plurality of pressure-applying rolls mounted for rotation about the axis of the shaft, means associated with the shaft for driving the rolls, means for continuously rota-t- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,505,212 MacDonald. Aug. 119, 1924 1,431,541 Randall Oct. 1 0, 1922 2,357,194 Hazelton et al Aug. 29, I944 

